Stadia, xCloud, other cloud gaming services violate App Store guidelines, says Apple- Technology News, Firstpost

tech2 News StaffAug 07, 2020 12:44:06 IST

At the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung announced that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will get support for Microsoft’s xCloud services. The Project xCloud is scheduled to launch on 15 September. Other select Android smartphones are also expected to receive the xCloud streaming service soon.

iOS users, however, have been left out of the xCloud services. And now, Apple has revealed, why is that so.

Apple says that streaming services like xCloud and Stadia violate the App Store guideline.

Google Stadia services are limited to Pixel devices, currently. Nvidia’s GeForce Now service is also Android-only when it comes to phones.

Apple told Business Insider in a statement:

“The App Store was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers. Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers.

Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search. In addition to the App Store, developers can choose to reach all iPhone and iPad users over the web through Safari and other browsers on the App Store.”

In response to Apple, Microsoft told The Verge that it could not come up with a solution to bring xCloud to iOS devices, and it blames Apple for it. Microsoft believes that Apple is denying consumers the benefits of cloud gaming. Microsoft also says that Apple uses more stringent rules for gaming apps. The company, however, said that it will continue to work towards bringing the xCloud service and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to iOS devices.

Here’s the complete statement by Microsoft:

“Our testing period for the Project xCloud preview app for iOS has expired. Unfortunately, we do not have a path to bring our vision of cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to gamers on iOS via the Apple App Store. Apple stands alone as the only general purpose platform to deny consumers from cloud gaming and game subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. And it consistently treats gaming apps differently, applying more lenient rules to non-gaming apps even when they include interactive content. All games available in the Xbox Game Pass catalog are rated for content by independent industry ratings bodies such as the ESRB and regional equivalents. We are committed to finding a path to bring cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to the iOS platform. We believe that the customer should be at the heart of the gaming experience and gamers tell us they want to play, connect and share anywhere, no matter where they are. We agree.”